2. Contact Info

3. Dealer Selection

The questions start almost as soon as the 2012 Golf R presentation begins.

Why doesn’t it have more power?
Why target the Subaru WRX STI and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution?
Why does it cost so much?
And why do the Euros get all the fun stuff (again)?

Let’s take it from the top.

“This will be the most powerful Golf ever offered,” says Andres Valbuena, VW‘s Golf product manager. “The last was the 250-horsepower Golf R32 [released in 2008]. The 2012 Golf R will have more power and greater fuel efficiency.”

How much power? The exact output has yet to be determined, but the Golf R should make around 260 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque for North American markets. That’s a huge bump in output over the GTI (200 hp/207 lb-ft), given that they both use essentially the same 2.0-liter direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder. It’s also an impressive pop over the last-generation R32, which made 10 fewer horsepower from a 3.2-liter V-6.

But some of the shine dims when we learn European Golf Rs will come with 270 horsepower. Why? VW considers America a “hot market” with climate conditions that could prove disastrous for the over boosted 4-banger (R boost pressure is 17.1 psi vs the GTI’s 11.7 psi.) Bummer.

Apparently not. For the first time Golf history, VW’s vaunted 2.0T powertrain will be paired with 4Motion all-wheel drive (aka Haldex-4). Along with the traditional two-door hatchback, Golf Rs will also be offered as a four-door hatches for the first time in U.S. markets. This combination of turbos, cylinders, driven wheels, and doors clearly invites comparisons with Japan’s elite rally racers.

Valubena and Co. not only welcome comparisons, but claim they’re ready for them. “The Golf R promises to be more like a Subaru WRX STI or Mitsubishi Lancer Evo than an R32,” he says.

That’s quite surprising since Valbuena also predicts a 0-60-mph time in the 5.6-second range with the six-speed manual transmission. While that should make it the fastest in VW’s lineup, the 305-horsepower STI and 291-horsepower Evo won’t dump a wastegate in the Golf R’s general direction. The last STI and Evo we tested hit 60 mph in 5.0 and 4.9 seconds respectively.

And then there is the money question. Valbuena claims the Golf R should ring the register around the price of the 2008 R32 — a shade under $33,000. That undercuts the STI and Evo by a couple of thousand, but for roughly $10,000 less, Subaru will sell you a 265-horsepower WRX that will hit 60 mph in about the same time as an STI. (In fact, a 2009 WRX we tested did it in 4.8 seconds!)

Want the faster Golf R? Then opt for the super-slick dual-clutch gearbox (DSG), which VW claims will turn a 5.3-second dash. Only problem is, the optional transmission is not coming to America.

Why? Well, the original Golf R (which never came to America) was offered with only a manual, and Valbuena claims that upwards of 70 percent of Golf enthusiasts surveyed preferred the manual over the DSG. That is a bit hard to believe, given how fast and crisp the latter performs, but then a knowledgeable VW insider gives me the lowdown.

“It’s because we wouldn’t get the good DSG,” he whispers.

What he is referring to is the long-held suspicion among VW enthusiasts that the U.S. gets a slower, softer version of the DSG programmed to behave more like a traditional automatic. VW would not confirm such speculation, but Valbuena did cite cost as another concern. Fielding one transmission is cheaper than two for a myriad of reasons, especially for such a low-volume vehicle. Cost containment influences other equipment on the Golf R as well. U.S.-spec models won’t be getting such cool hardware as LED taillamps or the optional hard-shell racing seats.

So it would appear the 2012 Golf R will be non-competitive right out of the box. Evo? STI? The Golf R looks to be significantly slower than a regular WRX and a lot more expensive.

Why, VW? Why?

The answers start arriving the moment we strap in for a drive.

This is not an interior expected in a $25,000 WRX, or for that matter, a $35,000 STI or Evo. The Golf R cockpit feels so much nicer, primarily because it picks up where the GTI left off. Soft-touch materials, tight seams, and controls that snick and snap with purpose are everywhere. And forget the optional Euro-spec racing buckets — the Golf R’s nicely bolstered sports seats can challenge the Recaros found in the STI and Evo.

On the road, the Golf R further banishes any talk of Japanese rally replicas by delivering that highly sought-after characteristic: German Ride Quality. It seems to lop off the tops of bumps and suck the tire tread down into the road, all while delivering an implacably buttoned-down ride — precisely the kind of smoothness rally racers can only dream about. We can’t read too much into these sensations, however, as we drove Euro-spec Golf Rs, which have lower ride heights and firmer suspension setups. We also can’t comment on the R’s most significant upgrade, 4Motion AWD, as the roads we took were moderately trafficked and not nearly as twisty as we needed. That analysis will have to come later.

What did impress us is how grown-up the R feels. This boy racer went to finishing school, and it shows. Power delivery won’t snap your head back, but the R punches off the line with smooth authority. It may not be as fast as the Evo or STI, but that’s not immediately obvious. The illusion of speed is strong in this one, partly because it is so silky.

It’s light, too. Valbuena says the Golf R will be 200-250 pounds lighter than the R32, with most of that weight coming out of the nose with the change from a V-6 to a turbo-4. Fully dressed, it should weigh around 3300 pounds with a 60/40 front/rear weight distribution. That’s right in line with the WRX STI, and at least a couple hundred pounds trimmer than the Evo.

This lightness aids in handling. Steering is just right: crisp and nicely weighted, but not maniacally fast. In that sense, the Golf R splits the difference between the STI and Evo, delivering cornering thrills without subsequent exhaustion.

Production on the Golf R will begin in November in Wolfsburg. When it comes to our shores, it will be available in white, gray, red, black, and an R-specific shade called Rising Blue. To control costs and complexity, only two trim levels will be offered. The two are standard trim and a premium package similar to the GTI’s Autobahn kit, which bundles a sunroof, navigation, smartkey, and the Dynaudio-branded audio system. Special 18-inch wheels wrapped in all-season rubber (with oddly, no summer tire option) will be standard.

By the end of our short driving stint, most of our questions have been satisfactorily answered, save one. (see sidebar). The 2012 Golf R looks to be one sweet ride, and sure to sell out its initial 5000 allotment. But is it better than the STI and Evo? We’ll wait until we drive them against U.S.-production Golf R before we answer that question.

HARD TARGET
One question that went unanswered is why VW is targeting such a small and mature market segment. When the Golf R hits next year, it better bring cake and candles-Subaru and Mitsubishi will celebrate 20 years of the WRX STI and Lancer Evolution in 2012.

Those 20 years haven’t been an easy ride. While both vehicles got their start in rallying, neither currently supports a factory team at WRC, the sport’s highest level. Subaru has been setting sales records recently, but Mitsubishi has struggled so much that there has been chatter about the Evo’s imminent demise.

And what of VW? Well, it set a target to sell 800,000 cars per year in the U.S. by 2018, and 5000 Golf Rs would get the automaker that much closer…

2012 Volkswagen Golf News and Reviews

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